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HyperGrammar 2

Review exercise: Noun, adjective and adverb clauses

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See if you can determine the function of the highlighted dependent clause in each of the following sentences.

1. Some people buy expensive cars simply because they can.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: Some people buy expensive cars simply because they can.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: As this clause answers the question why? it is an adverb clause. It does not act as a subject or an object, and it does not modify a noun or pronoun.

Oops!

Question:: Some people buy expensive cars simply because they can.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: As this clause answers the question why? it is an adverb clause. It does not act as a subject or an object, and it does not modify a noun or pronoun.

Good work!

Question:: Some people buy expensive cars simply because they can.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is correct.
Explanation:: As this clause answers the question why? it is an adverb clause. It does not act as a subject or an object, and it does not modify a noun or pronoun.

2. Many people hope that Canada can eliminate its deficit.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Good work!

Question:: Many people hope that Canada can eliminate its deficit.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question many people hope what? and acts as the direct object of the verb hope. Therefore, it in a noun clause.

Oops!

Question:: Many people hope that Canada can eliminate its deficit.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question many people hope what? and acts as the direct object of the verb hope. Therefore, it in a noun clause.

Oops!

Question:: Many people hope that Canada can eliminate its deficit.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question many people hope what? and acts as the direct object of the verb hope. Therefore, it in a noun clause.

3. The division chiefs need to know what they should do.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Good work!

Question:: The division chiefs need to know what they should do.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is correct.
Explanation:: This noun clause answers the question what do the division chiefs need to know? and acts as the direct object of the compound verb to know.

Oops!

Question:: The division chiefs need to know what they should do.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This noun clause answers the question what do the division chiefs need to know? and acts as the direct object of the compound verb to know.

Oops!

Question:: The division chiefs need to know what they should do.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This noun clause answers the question what do the division chiefs need to know? and acts as the direct object of the compound verb to know.

4. Which one is the person who stole your car?

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: Which one is the person who stole your car?
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: The relative pronoun who might have misled you here. However, the clause does not answer the question who? but rather which person?, indicating that it modifies the noun person and functions as an adjective clause.

Good work!

Question:: Which one is the person who stole your car?
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is correct.
Explanation:: The relative pronoun who could have been misleading here. The clause does not answer the question who? but rather which person?, indicating that it modifies the noun person and functions as an adjective clause.

Oops!

Question:: Which one is the person who stole your car?
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: The relative pronoun who might have misled you here. However, the clause does not answer the question who? but rather which person?, indicating that it modifies the noun person and functions as an adjective clause.

5. Wherever there is a large North American city, there is poverty.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: Wherever there is a large North American city, there is poverty.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question where is there poverty? and is thus an adverb clause.

Oops!

Question:: Wherever there is a large North American city, there is poverty.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question where is there poverty? and is thus an adverb clause.

Good work!

Question:: Wherever there is a large North American city, there is poverty.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is correct.
Explanation:: This clause answers the question where is there poverty? and is thus an adverb clause.

6. The books that the course instructor assigned were very useful.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: The books that the course instructor assigned were very useful.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause modifies the noun books and is therefore an adjective clause.

Good work!

Question:: The books that the course instructor assigned were very useful.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is correct.
Explanation:: This clause modifies the noun books and is therefore an adjective clause.

Oops!

Question:: The books that the course instructor assigned were very useful.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause modifies the noun books and is therefore an adjective clause.

7. Canada might give up its marketing boards if other countries give up their grain subsidies.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: Canada might give up its marketing boards if other countries give up their grain subsidies.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause provides the conditions under which Canada might give up its marketing boards: it is an adverb clause that answers the question under what conditions?

Oops!

Question:: Canada might give up its marketing boards if other countries give up their grain subsidies.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause provides the conditions under which Canada might give up its marketing boards: it is an adverb clause that answers the question under what conditions?

Good work!

Question:: Canada might give up its marketing boards if other countries give up their grain subsidies.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is correct.
Explanation:: This clause provides the conditions under which Canada might give up its marketing boards: it is an adverb clause that answers the question under what conditions?

8. That is the place where Wolfe’s and Montcalm’s armies fought.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: That is the place where Wolfe’s and Montcalm’s armies fought.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: In this tricky example, the subordinating conjunction where may have misled you. In fact, the clause does not answer the adverb question where? but rather it answers the adjective question which place? This is an adjective clause, modifying the noun place.

Good work!

Question:: That is the place where Wolfe’s and Montcalm’s armies fought.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is correct.
Explanation:: In this tricky example, the subordinating conjunction where could have been misleading. In fact, the clause does not answer the adverb question where? but rather it answers the adjective question which place? This is an adjective clause, modifying the noun place.

Oops!

Question:: That is the place where Wolfe’s and Montcalm’s armies fought.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: In this tricky example, the subordinating conjunction where may have misled you. In fact, the clause does not answer the adverb question where? but rather it answers the adjective question which place? This is an adjective clause, modifying the noun place.

9. Unless the Crown can make a better case, the accused will not be convicted.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Oops!

Question:: Unless the Crown can make a better case, the accused will not be convicted.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is not correct.
Explanation:: As this clause provides the conditions under which the accused will not be convicted, it is an adverb clause.

Oops!

Question:: Unless the Crown can make a better case, the accused will not be convicted.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: As this clause provides the conditions under which the accused will not be convicted, it is an adverb clause.

Good work!

Question:: Unless the Crown can make a better case, the accused will not be convicted.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is correct.
Explanation:: As this clause provides the conditions under which the accused will not be convicted, it is an adverb clause.

10. It is important to ask whether dress is formal or semi-formal.

noun clause

adjective clause

adverb clause

Good work!

Question:: It is important to ask whether dress is formal or semi-formal.
Answer:: The answer noun clause is correct.
Explanation:: This clause is the direct object of the infinitive to ask, answering the question what is it important to ask? Therefore, it is a noun clause.

Oops!

Question:: It is important to ask whether dress is formal or semi-formal.
Answer:: The answer adjective clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause is the direct object of the infinitive to ask, answering the question what is it important to ask? Therefore, it is a noun clause.

Oops!

Question:: It is important to ask whether dress is formal or semi-formal.
Answer:: The answer adverb clause is not correct.
Explanation:: This clause is the direct object of the infinitive to ask, answering the question what is it important to ask? Therefore, it is a noun clause.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-24

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